Faculty and Staff Profiles

• Bachelor of Science with honors (cum laude) Electrical Engineering - Washington University St. Louis - 1987
• Bachelor of Science with honors (cum laude) Computer Science - Washington University St. Louis - 1987
• Master of Science (with Thesis) Electrical Engineering - Washington University St. Louis - 1990
• Master of Science Computer Science - Washington University St. Louis - 1991
• Doctor of Science Electrical Engineering - Washington University St. Louis - 1998

• Research Assistant, Biomedical Computer Laboratory - Washington University St. Louis - July 1987 -July 1998
• Research Associate, Institute for Biomedical Computing - Washington University St. Louis - August 1998 -June 2000
• Research Associate, Electronic Systems and Signals Research Laboratory, Electrical and Systems Engineering Department - Washington University St. Louis - Sept. 2000 – Aug. 2006
• Instructor, Electrical and Systems Engineering Department - Washington University St. Louis - Sept. 2000 – Aug. 2006
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department - The University of Cyprus - Sept. 2003 – June 2004
• Adjunct Assistant Professor , School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging - The University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Aug. 2006-2010
• Assistant Professor (Secondary Appointment), Dept. of Biomedical Engineering - The University of Memphis - Aug. 2006-Aug. 2010
• Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - The University of Memphis - Aug. 2006 - Aug. 2010
• Adjunct Associate Professor , School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging - The University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Sep. 2010 - present
• Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering - The University of Memphis - Sep. 2010 - present
• Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering - The University of Memphis - Sep. 2010 - present

• B.S.E.E. cum laude, B.S.C.S. cum laude - Washington University in St. Louis - 1987
• Member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary Society - Washington University St. Louis - 1986
• Member of the Eta Kappa Nu Engineering Honorary Society - Washington University St. Louis - 1986
• CASP scholarship: Full tuition and stipend to attend Washington University in St. Louis - Fullbright - 1983-1987
• Publications Award - Journal of the Optical Society of America - 1999
• Outstanding Faculty Research Award - Herff College of Engineering, The Univ. of Memphis - 2010
• Who’s Who in Collegiate Faculty - Montclair - 2010
• Who’s Who in America - Marquis - 2011

• Fourier Methods in Imaging - EECE 7901/8901 - The University of Memphis
• Image Processing - EECE 7214/8214 - The University of Memphis
• Random Signals and Noise - EECE 7251/8251 - The University of Memphis
• Computational Optical Imaging - EECE 7907/8907 - The University of Memphis
• Inverse Problems in Imaging- EECE 7904/8904 - The University of Memphis
• Fourier Optics -EECE 7243/8243 - The University of Memphis
• Communication Theory - EECE 4231/6231 - The University of Memphis
• Signals and Systems I - EECE 3203 - The University of Memphis
• Transform Methods in Network Analysis - EECE 3202 - The University of Memphis
• Introduction to Electrical Networks - Washington University in St. Louis
• Electrical and Electronic Circuits Laboratory - Washington University in St. Louis
• Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering - Washington University in St. Louis
• Signal Analysis for Electronic Systems and Circuits - Washington University in St. Louis
• Communication Theory and Systems - Washington University in St. Louis
• Electrical Engineering Senior Design Projects - Washington University in St. Louis
• Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering - The University of Cyprus
• Introduction to Information Technology - The University of Cyprus

• Post-doctoral Fellow - Dr. Sharon V. King - 2008
• Post-doctoral Fellow - Dr. Shuai Yuan - 2008
• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Rakesh K. Duggirala - Dec 2008
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering - Vimeetha Myneni - Dec 2009
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering - Abhilash K. Challa - Fall 2010
• M.S in Electrical Engineering - Sreya Ghosh - Spring 2011
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering - Amaradri Mukherjee - May 2012
• B.S. in Electrical Engineering - Sami D. Alnajjar - Spring 2010
• B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Mark E. Newbill - Spring 2011
• B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Mark H. Sporer - May 2011
• B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Honors Undergraduate Thesis) - Gregorio J. Lobo - May 2012
• B.S. in Computer Engineering - Timothy Mathis - May 2012
• M.S. in Biomedical Engineering - Monica Zugravu - May 2012
• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Md. Mizanur Rahman - 2013
• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Matthew J. Bledsoe - May 2014
• PhD. in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Nurmohammed Patwary - 2017

• "CAREER: Integrated computational optical framework for quantitative space-variant imaging in live-cell fluorescence microscopy" (PI) - National Science Foundation - $743,781.00 - 03/01/09 - 2/27/14
• “Collaborative Research: Multimode adaptive 3D microscopy for quantitative analysis of live-cellular dynamic processes in thick samples” (PI) - National Science Foundation - $168,952.00 - 04/01/09 - 03/31/12
• “Collaborative Research: Quantitative DIC Microscope for Measuring 3-Dimensional Cell Attributes” (PI) - National Science Foundation - $217,256.00 - 9/1/2005 to 8/31/2009 (includes a year of no-cost extension)
• “Analysis and Modeling of Nyquist Limited Infrared Detectors” (Research Member) with E. L. Jacobs, PI - Northrop Grumman Systems Co. - 1 summer month - 3/ 2010 – 11/2010
• "Distributed Intelligence in Biologically-Motivated Multi-Agent Systems for Employment in Complex Warfare Scenarios and in Hostile Environments”, (Research Member) with R. Kozma (PI) - FedEx Institute of Technology Research Grant - Funds for C. Preza $12,000 - 8/2008 - 6/2009

• Girls Experiencing Engineering (GEE) - High school students and teachers and U of M faculty - Summer 2010 & 2012 - Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis
• Herff College Annual E-Day Open Day - Middle and High School students and teachers and U of M faculty - 2009 - present - Herff College of Engineering
• Award Scholarships for University Education - High School Seniors and Vice Presidents of Education of the Daughters of Penelope - 2007 - 2012 - Local Chapter of the Daughters of Penelope (an international organization, http://www.ahepa.org/dop/)

• Ikonisys, Inc., New Haven, CT - September 2004 - January 2005

• Book Chapter
  
  

  Preza, C., King, S. V., Dragomir, N. M., Cogswell, C. J., “Phase Imaging Microscopy – Beyond Darkfield, Phase and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy,” in Handbook of Biomedical Optics, Boas, D. A., Pitris C., and Ramanujam, N., eds., Taylor and Francis Books, 2011. (Invited chapter)

     

• Yuan, S. and Preza, C., “Computational imaging using engineered point-spread functions to reduce the impact of spherical aberration in 3D fluorescence microscopy,”  submitted to Optics Express, 2013. (under review)
  
• King S. V., Yuan, S., Dong, D. and Preza, C., “Reducing the impact of spherical aberration on 3D microscopy imaging using programmable PSF engineering,” in Focus on Microscopy, the Netherlands, March 24-27, 2013. (accepted)
• Rahman, M. M., Schaefer, L., Schuster, D. and Preza, C., “Comparison of computational methods developed to address depth-variant imaging in fluorescence microscopy,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XX, BiOS, SPIE BO402, 2013. (in press)
• Yuan, S. and Preza, C., “Computational optical sectioning microscopy using an engineered PSF with reduced depth variability - proof of concept,” Proc. of the 9th IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging, 1739 – 1742, 2012.
• Yuan, S. and C. Preza, “Reducing image artifacts due to depth-induced aberrations in extended depth-of-field microscopy using an engineered point-spread function,” OSA Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI) Conference, Monterey, California, June 2012.
• Ghosh, S. and Preza, C., “Characterization of a 3D DH-PSF for fluorescence microscopy in the presence of spherical aberration,” Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2013. (in press)
• Furxhi, O., Jacobs, E. L. and Preza, C., “Image plane coded aperture for Terahertz imaging,” Optical Engineering,51(9), 091612-1, 2012.
• Yuan, S. and Preza, C., “Point-spread function engineering to reduce the impact of spherical aberration on 3D computational fluorescence microscopy imaging,” Optics Express, 19(23), 23298-23314, 2011.
• Preza, C., Schaefer, L. H., Schuster, D., Ghaffar, A.-U., Yuan, S., and Lobo, G. J., “Impact of Spherical Aberration on Structured-Illumination Microscopy”, in Focus on Microscopy, Singapore, April 1-4, 2012.
• Preza, C. and Yuan, S., “Reducing the Impact of Spherical Aberration on Extended depth-of-field Microscopy Using PSF Engineering”, in Focus on Microscopy, Singapore, April 1-4 2012.
• Rahman, M. M., Abdullah-Al-Wadud, M., and Preza, C., “A Decision-based Filter for Removing Salt-and-Pepper Noise,” International Conference on Informatics, Electronics and Vision (ICIEV12), IEEE/IAPR, Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 18-19, 2012.
• Ghosh, S., Quirin, S., Grover, G., Piestun, R. and Preza, C., “Computational imaging for fluorescence microscopy using double helix PSF engineering,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XIX, BiOS, SPIE 8227, 82270F, 2012.
• Yuan, S. and C. Preza, “Point-spread function engineering to reduce the impact of depth-induced aberrations on high-NA 3D extended depth-of-field microscopy,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XIX, BiOS, SPIE 8227, 822702, 2012.
• Yuan, S. and C. Preza, “Performance evaluation of an image estimation method based on principal component analysis (PCA) developed for quantitative depth-variant fluorescence microscopy imaging,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XIX, BiOS, SPIE 8227, 82270H, 2012.
• Yuan, S., and Preza, C., “A new approach to reduce depth-introduced aberration in 3-D microscopy”, Memphis BioImaging Symposium (MemBIS), Memphis, 2011.
• Yuan, S. and C. Preza, “Point-spread function engineering to reduce the impact of depth-induced aberrations on widefield microscopy imaging,” OSA Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI) Conference, Toronto, July 2011.
• Ghosh, S. and C. Preza, “Frequency content of the double-helix PSF for 3D microscopy in the presence of spherical aberration,” OSA Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI) Conference, Toronto, July 2011.
• Preza, C., Yuan, S., Sporer, M. H., Mukherjee, A., Crosby, L. M., and Waters, C. M., “Investigating the use of structured-illumination microscopy as implemented in the Zeiss ApoTome attachment to image thick lung tissue slices”, in Focus on Microscopy, Konstanz, Germany, April 2011.
• Preza, C., Ghosh, S., Grover, G., Quirin, S., Piestun, R., “Extraction of depth information in the presence of spherical aberration using double-helix point spread function coding in 3D fluorescence microscopy imaging”, in Focus on Microscopy, Konstanz, Germany, April 2011.
• Preza, C., “Simulating Structure Illumination Microscopy in the Presence of Spherical Aberrations,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XVIII, BiOS, SPIE 7904-12, 2011. 
• Yuan, S. and Preza, C., “3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging Accounting for Depth-Varying Point Spread Functions Predicted by a Strata Interpolation Method and a Principal Component Analysis”, Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XVIII, BiOS, SPIE 7904, 79040D, 2011. 
• Ghosh, S., Grover, G., Piestun, R. and Preza, C., “Effect of double-helix point-spread functions on 3D imaging in the presence of spherical aberrations,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XVIII, BiOS, SPIE 7904, 79041D, 2011.
• Yuan, S., Chen, Y., Preza, C., and Tang, C., “Study on blood-flow pulsation using laser speckle contrast imaging”, Dynamics and Fluctuations in Biomedical Photonics VI, BiOS, SPIE 7898-15, 2011.
• Myneni, V. and Preza, C., “3D Reconstruction of Fluorescence Microscopy Image Intensities Using Multiple Depth-Variant Point-Spread Functions”, Digital Image Processing and Analysis (DIPA), Imaging and Applied Optics, OSA Optics and Photonics Congress, DTuA2, 2010.
• Mukherjee, A. and Preza, C., "Computational 3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging", OSA Imaging Systems (IS), Imaging and Applied Optics, OSA Optics and Photonics Congress, paper # IWC2, 2010.   
• Preza, C. and O’Sullivan, J. A., “Implementation and evaluation of a penalized alternating minimization algorithm for computational DIC microscopy”, Computational Imaging VIII, IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging, SPIE 7533, pp. 75330E-1 to 75330E-11, 2010.
• Preza, C. and Myneni, V., “Quantitative depth-variant imaging for fluorescence microscopy using the COSMOS software package,” Three-Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XVII, BiOS, SPIE 7570, pp. 757003-1 to 757003-8, 2010.   

• Preza, C. and O’Sullivan, J. A., “Computational Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy for Quantitative Imaging,” in Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI), OSA Technical Digest (CD), Optical Society of America, paper # CThB5, 2009.

• Myneni, V. and Preza, C., “Computational depth-variant imaging for quantitative fluorescence microscopy,” in Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging (COSI), OSA Technical Digest (CD), Optical Society of America, paper # CThC4, 2009.    
• Myneni, V. and Preza, C., “Computational imaging for depth-variant fluorescence microscopy,” in Focus on Microscopy, Krakow, Poland, p. 164, April 2009.   
• Preza, C. and O’Sullivan, J. A., “Quantitative phase and amplitude imaging using differential-interference contrast (DIC) microscopy  ”, in Computational Imaging VII, Charles A. Bouman, Eric L. Miller, Ilya Pollak, eds., Electronic Imaging, Proc. SPIE Vol. 7246, 724604, 2009.  
• King, S. V., Libertun, A. R., Piestun, R., Cogswell, C. J., Preza, C., "Quantitative phase microscopy through differential interference imaging," Journal of Biomedical Optics, Vol. 13(2), 024020, 2008.
• Fox, D. J. Jr., Tysver Velde, H., Preza, C., O’Sullivan, J. A., Smith, W. H., and Woolsey, T. A.,  “Computational hyperspectral interferometry for studies of brain function: proof of concept,”  Applied Optics, Vol. 45, No. 13, pp. 3009-3021, May 2006.  
• Preza, C. and Conchello, J.‑A. “Depth-Variant Maximum-Likelihood Restoration for Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Microscopy,” Journal of the Optical Society of America A, Vol. 21, No. 9, pp. 1593-1601, September, 2004.  
• Fuhrmann, D. R., Preza, C., O’Sullivan, J. A., Snyder, D. L., and Smith, W.H., “Spectrum Estimation from Quantum-Limited Interferograms,” IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 950-961, April, 2004.  
• Homem, M. R. P., Mascarenhas, N. D. A., Costa, L. F., and Preza C., “Biological Image Restoration in Optical-Sectioning Microscopy Using Prototype Image Constraints,” Real Time Imaging, special issue on Imaging in Bioinformatics, 8(6), 475-490, 2002.  
• Preza, C., “Rotational‑diversity phase estimation from differential‑interference‑contrast microscopy images,” Journal of the Optical Society of America A,17(3), 415‑424, 2000.
• Preza, C., Snyder, D. L., and Conchello, J.‑A., “Theoretical development and experimental evaluation of imaging models for differential‑interference‑contrast microscopy,” Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 16(9):2185-2199, 1999.
  
• McNally, J. G., Preza C., Conchello, J.‑A., and Thomas, Jr., L. J., “Artifacts in Computational Optical‑Sectioning Microscopy,” Journal of the Optical Society of America A,  11(3):1056-1067, 1994.
  
• Preza, C., Ollinger, J. M., McNally, J. G., and Thomas, Jr., L. J., “Point‑Spread Sensitivity Analysis for Computational Optical‑Sectioning Microscopy,” Micron and Microscopica Acta, Special issue, 23(4):501‑513, 1992. (Invited paper)
• Preza, C., Miller, M. I., Thomas, Jr., L. J., and McNally, J. G., “Regularized Linear Method for Reconstruction of Three‑Dimensional Microscopic Objects from Optical Sections,” Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 9(2):219‑228, February 1992.
• Preza, C., King S. V., Libertun, A. R., and Cogswell C. J., “Computational Imaging for DIC Microscopy: Current Use in Live-Cell Imaging”, in Focus on Microscopy, Osaka-Awaji, Japan, April 2008. 
• O’Sullivan, J. A. and Preza, C., “Alternating Minimization Algorithm for Quantitative Differential-Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy”, in Computational Imaging, Charles A. Bouman, Eric L. Miller, Ilya Pollak, eds., Electronic Imaging, Proc. SPIE Vol. 6814, 68140Y, 2008.  
• Preza, C. and O’Sullivan, J. A., “Quantitative determination of specimen properties using computational differential-interference contrast (DIC) microscopy”, in Confocal, Multiphoton, and Nonlinear Microscopic Imaging III, Tony Wilson, Ammasi Periasam, eds., Proc. SPIE-OSA Biomedical Optics, Proc. SPIE Vol. 6630, 66300E, 2007. 
• King, S. V., Libertun, A. R., Preza, C., Cogswell, C. J., "Calibration of a phase-shifting DIC microscope for quantitative phase imaging", inThree‑Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XIV, J.‑A. Conchello, C. J. Cogswell, T. Wilson, eds., Proc. SPIE Vol. 6443, 64430M, 2007.
  
• Preza, C., King, S. V., and Cogswell, C. J., “Algorithms for extracting true phase from rotationally-diverse and phase-shifted DIC images,” invThree‑Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing XIII, J.‑A. Conchello, C. J. Cogswell, T. Wilson, eds., Proc. SPIE Vol. 6090, 60900E, 2006.
• Fox, D. J. Jr., Woolsey, T. A., Preza, C., O’Sullivan, J. A., Tysver Velde, H., and Smith, W. H., “Computational Hyperspectral Microscopy for Studies of Neural and Biological Function,” in Adaptive Optics: Analysis and Methods/Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging/Information Photonics/Signal Recovery and Synthesis Topical Meetings on CD-ROM (The Optical Society of America, Washington, DC), presentation # CTuB2, 2005.
• Preza, C., Patsalis, C. P., Sismani C., Evangelidou P., and Pitris, C., “Three-dimensional FISH Imaging of Chromosomes Using Computational Optical Sectioning Microscopy”, in Diagnostic Imaging and Image Analysis, II Mediterranean Conference on Medical Physics, Limassol, Cyprus, April, 2004.
• Preza, C. and Conchello, J.‑A., “Image Estimation Accounting for Point-Spread Function Depth-Variation in Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Microscopy,” inThree‑Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing X, C. J. Cogswell, J.‑A. Conchello, T. Wilson, eds., Proc. SPIE Vol. 4964, pp. 135-142, 2003.
• Preza, C., van Munster, E. B., Aten, J. A., Snyder, D. L., and Rosenberger, F. U., “Determination of Direction‑Independent Optical Path‑Length Distribution of Cells Using Rotational‑Diversity Transmitted‑Light Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Images,” in Three‑Dimensional and Multidimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing V, C. J. Cogswell, J.‑A. Conchello, T. Wilson, eds., Proc. SPIE 3261A, 60-70, 1998.
• Preza, C., Snyder, D. L., Rosenberger, F. U., Markham, J., and Conchello, J.‑A., “Phase Estimation from Transmitted‑Light DIC Images Using Rotational Diversity,” in T. J. Schulz, ed., Proc. SPIE 3170, 97‑107, 1997.
  
• Preza, C., Snyder, D. L., and Conchello, J.‑A., “Image Reconstruction for Three‑Dimensional Transmitted‑Light DIC Microscopy,” in Three‑Dimensional Microscopy: Image Acquisition and Processing IV, C. J. Cogswell, J.‑A. Conchello, T. Wilson, eds., Proc. SPIE 2984, 220‑231, 1997.
• Preza, C., Snyder, D. L., and Conchello, J.‑A., “Imaging Models for Three‑Dimensional Transmitted‑Light DIC Microscopy,” In Proceedings of the IS&T/SPIE Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science & Technology, volume 2655, 245‑257, 1996.
• Preza, C., Miller, M. I., and Conchello, J.‑A., “Image Reconstruction for 3‑D Light Microscopy with a Regularized Linear Method Incorporating a Smoothness Prior,” Biomedical Image Processing and Biomedical Visualization, R. S. Acharya and D. B. Goldgof, Eds., Proceedings of IS&T/SPIE’s Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science & Technology, Proc. SPIE 1905:129‑139, 1993.
• Preza, C., Ollinger, J. M., McNally, J. G., and Thomas, Jr., L. J., “Point‑Spread Sensitivity Analysis for 3‑D Fluorescence Microscopy,” in Biomedical Image Processing and Three‑Dimensional Microscopy, R. S. Acharya, C. J. Cogswell, and D. B. Goldgof, Eds., Proceedings of SPIE, 1660:158‑169, 1992.
• Preza, C., “Regularized Linear Method for Reconstruction of 3‑D Microscopic Objects from Optical Sections,” Presented at the Optical Society of America Annual Meeting, San Jose, CA, Nov., 1991.

• Preza, C., “Advances in 3D Computational Imaging for Structured-Illumination Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Joint Biomedical Engineering Program of The Univ. of Memphis & The Univ. of Tennessee, Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, September 14, 2012.
• Preza, C., “3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging Using Double-Helix Point-Spread Function Engineering,” Invited seminar given at the Optical Fibers and Signal Processing Group, The Univ. of Valencia, Spain, July 5, 2012.
• Preza, C., “New Computational Methods for Structured-Illumination Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Dept. of Optics, The Univ. of Valencia, Spain, April 30, 2012.
• Preza, C., “3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging Using Double-Helix Point-Spread Function Engineering,” Invited seminar given at the Optical Fibers and Signal Processing Group, The Univ. of Valencia, Spain, July 5, 2012.
•  Preza, C., “Correction of Depth-Induced Aberrations in 3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging,” Invited seminar given at the Seminar Series of the Physics Dept., The Univ. of Mississippi, Oxford, April 26, 2011.
• Preza, C., “Correction of Depth-Induced Aberrations in 3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging,” Invited seminar given at the Seminar Series of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University / Purdue University at Indianapolis, December 9, 2010.
• Preza, C., “Correction of Depth-Induced Aberrations in 3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging,” Invited seminar given at the Seminar Series of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, November 19, 2010.
• Preza, C., “Correction of Depth-Induced Aberrations in 3D Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging,” Invited seminar given at the Seminar Series of the Physics Dept., The Univ. of Memphis, Memphis, October 14, 2010.  
• Preza, C., “Alternating Minimization Algorithm for Quantitative Differential-Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Computational Optical Imaging and Sensing Seminar Series of the Electrical & Comp. Eng.  Dept., Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, October 13, 2008. 
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Chemical Engineering Departmental Seminar Series, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee, September 30, 2008. 
• Preza, C., “Computational Optical Sectioning Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical & Comp. Eng.  Departmental Seminar Series, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, March 6, 2007. 
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Joint Biomedical Engineering Program of The University of Memphis and The University of  Tennessee, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, September 8, 2006.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Depth-Varying Fluorescence Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at CDM Optics, Inc., Boulder, Colorado, March 17, 2006.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, March 14, 2006.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, February 16, 2006.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, Nov. 4, 2005.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Fluorescence Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at Ikonisys, Inc., New Haven, Connecticut, July 9, 2004.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indianapolis, May 5, 2003.
• Preza, C., “Computational Imaging for Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus, March, 2003.
• Preza, C., “Progress in Quantitative Differential‑Interference‑Contrast Microscopy Using Rotational‑Diversity Phase Estimation,” presented at The Donald L. Snyder Workshop, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, January 15, 2000.
• Preza, C., “Phase Estimation Using Rotational Diversity for Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy, Invited seminar given at the Electrical, Computer, & Systems Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, February 26, 1998.
• Preza, C., “Computational Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus, October 23, 1997.
• Preza, C., “Imaging Models for Transmitted‑Light DIC Microscopy”, Invited seminar given at the Center for Light Microscope Imaging and Biotechnology , Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1996.
• Preza, C., “Comparison of Image Restoration Algorithms,” Invited presentation given at the IBC’s Tutorial on Image Restoration for Three‑Dimensional Microscopy, Institute for Biomedical Computing, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, April 26‑27, 1996.
• Preza, C., “Regularized Linear Method for Computational Optical‑Sectioning Microscopy,” Invited seminar given at the Center for Light Microscope Imaging and Biotechnology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 2, 1992.

• Ongoing Research Projects  

• 1) Integrated computational optical framework for quantitative space-variant imaging in live-cell fluorescence microscopy (Funded by the NSF). As part of this NSF CAREER project, I am developing a new theoretical framework that will facilitate the development of new imaging methodologies such as an enhanced fluorescence microscope (proposed in our recently funded NSF IDBR proposal discussed in project (2) below) and a software package (COSMOS) suitable for processing data from live cell imaging of thick samples. The research mainly focuses on 1) the development of new algorithms suitable for processing data from multiple current and future microscope system designs; and 2) algorithm fine tuning to address specific needs of a variety of biological applications (i.e. studies of epithelial wound healing mechanisms and morphodynamic changes in cancer cells). It is anticipated that this framework will result in a fundamentally new approach that has the potential to change the way all data acquired with microscopes are processed. The new computational methods are integrated with a novel optical non-scanning imaging system design to enable live-cell fluorescence microscopy imaging with high three-dimensional (3D) resolution.  This work addresses a key challenge in live-cell microscopy by accounting for aberrations due to “thick” biological specimens. The computational methods will be applied to biological applications that are currently limited by the available imaging methodologies and will be disseminated to biological users in an open source software package (COSMOS). An initial version of the COSMOS package is expected to be available for a free download from my website http://cirl.memphis.edu/cosmos/cosmosDownload.html  by the end of September 2009. The Computational Optical Sectioning Microscopy Open Source (COSMOS) package has four platform-independent graphical user interfaces (developed using a visualization tool kit) that facilitate point-spread function generation, image intensity estimation (aka “deconvolution”, for the computation of quantitative image intensity from measured data), image visualization, and performance analysis of our algorithms. Due to the success of deconvolution microscopy, it is expected that the COSMOS software will have a broad impact.

   

• 2) Development of a multimode adaptive 3D microscope for quantitative analysis of live-cellular dynamic processes in thick samples (Recently funded with an NSF IDBR award). In collaboration with investigators at the University of Colorado, Boulder we have been investigating and developing novel approaches that integrate optics and computations to enhance the capabilities and 3D resolution of  a multimode microscope that will allow simultaneous fluorescence and phase imaging of live-cellular dynamic processes in thick samples that might otherwise go undetected. The research focuses on integrating side-illumination and correction  of aberrations using adaptive optics and depth from defocus approaches.  

• 3) Quantitative Imaging with Computational DIC Microscopy (Funded by the NSF). In collaboration with investigators at the University of Colorado, Boulder we have been developing and evaluating an enhanced computational Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscope for the visualization and measurement of dynamic processes in living cells.  My role in the project is leading the diffraction model-based algorithm development for computation of quantitative specimen phase from DIC images. Additionally, in collaboration with J. A. O’Sullivan (Washington Univ.) our methodology has been extended to address practical issues such as the absorption of semi-transparent specimens resulting in new computational methods that provide simultaneous quantitative phase and amplitude imaging from DIC images. The goal of the research has been to develop rigorous and practical methods that are well suited for real applications and yield meaningful and useful results. The methods are developed to satisfy specific constraints and limitations while exploiting the information available in the measured data. Performance of the methods is thoroughly tested with simulations. Calibration and utility of the methods and the computational DIC microscope is tested with data from various biological applications.